The PTM Cluster Continues To Grow In Central Java, Another 28 Positive Cases Of COVID-19 Are Found At Jepara Islamic School

JAKARTA - Face-to-face learning (PTM) at a Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) in Rengging Village, Pecangaan District, Jepara Regency, Central Java, was finally stopped after cases emerged of 25 students and three teachers being tested positive for COVID-19. In total in Central Java, there have been 179 positive cases in just one day.

"Currently, teaching and learning activities at the MTs are closed due to the case," said Jepara Regency COVID-19 Acceleration and Handling Task Force Spokesperson Muh Ali in Jepara, Wednesday, September 22.

He hopes that this will be a lesson for all schools so that the implementation of health protocols starting from wearing masks, washing hands with soap, maintaining distance, and avoiding crowds is carried out without tolerance.

Reporting from Antara, he said, there must be firmness against schools that do not implement health protocols to revoke their face-to-face learning permits so that cases do not spread.

In addition to discipline in implementing health protocols, the Jepara Regency Government is also boosting COVID-19 vaccination so that it can reach 70 percent of the population in order to achieve herd immunity or group immunity.

The emergence of COVID-19 cases at MTs in Rengging Village was also the result of screening before undergoing COVID-19 vaccination. Quick steps for contact tracing have also been carried out, including extensive searches that have been in close contact.

The head of MTs Al Muttaqim Rengging Samudi confirmed that 25 students and three teachers who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 started with a vaccination screening for students.

Initially, there were 100 students who underwent vaccination on September 6, 2021, and the results were good, there were no problems. Then there was a second stage of the vaccine offer and it was proposed for 50 students, but only 26 students who passed the screening did not pass.

A total of 24 students who did not pass the screening were followed up with a swab test on September 14, 2021, and two days later received information that 11 children were confirmed positive and two children whose results were the same.

The Kudus District Health Office again conducted a contact tracing of 24 students and six seventh-grade teachers who were previously known to have tested positive. As a result, there were 12 students and three teachers who were confirmed positive for COVID-19.

The existence of face-to-face learning because Jepara Regency which implements Level 2 of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) is indeed allowed. Another consideration is that not all parents are able to provide internet quota for online learning, while parents also want face-to-face learning so that face-to-face learning decisions are taken.